Automatic means for cleaning and deodorizing flush tanks and toilet bowls



1961 J. c. COOPER 3,009,168

AUTOMATIC MEANS FOR CLEANING AND DEODORIZING FLUSH TANKS AND TOILET BOWLS Filed May 11, 1959 INVENTOR JASPER C. COOPER Q/W WW BY ATTORNEY- United States Patent Qfiflce 3,009,168 Patented Nov. 21., 1961 AUTOMATIC MEANS FOR CLEANING AND DEODORIZING FLUSH TANKS AND TOILET BOWLS Jasper Charles Cooper, Oklahoma City, Okla. (5118 Live Oak, Apt. 110, Dallas, Tex.) Filed May 11, 195), Ser. No. 812,159 7 Claims. (Cl. 4-228) This invention relates to a method of and automatic means for cleaning and deodorizing flush tanks and toilet bowls.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a vertical, sectional view through a portion of a conventional flush tank with the device of the invention shown partly in elevation and partly in vertical section therein, and

FIG. 2 is a horizontal section on line 22 of FIG. 1.

Like numerals designate corresponding parts on both of the figures of the drawing.

In its broader aspects the invention resides in feeding into flush tanks measured quantities of cleaning, deodorizing, perfurning or disinfecting chemicals, under the infiuence of the movement of the incoming water into the flush tank.

In nearly all of the presently used flush tanks as well as those being installed in new residences, the water inlet assembly comprises two vertical tubes 5 and 6, connected by a transverse head 7 which carries the water inlet control valve 8. Valve 8 is actuated in the well known manner to cut off the flow of water from inlet 9 by the rise of a float 10 and to admit Water to the flush tank upon descent of the float said float having connection with the valve 8 by conventional members comprising swinging link 12 that is pivotally connected at 13 to an extension of head 7, a link 12 and a bar 12 Bar 12 engages the valve at 8 The parts constituting my invention comprise a vertically arranged tank 14 which receives the cleaning and deodorizing material which is in liquid form, which liquid enters tank 14 through a funnel 15.

The water which passes from tube 6 is discharged into the flush tank 16 through a flexible tube 17, said tube having slip joint connection at 18 with tube 6. The upper end of tube 17 is of goose neck formation with its discharge end curved downwardly. A supply tube v19 leads from the casing 20 of a control valve 21 and enters and terminates in the goose neck 23. The bottom of casing 20 is of stopper like formation at 20 and fits into a suitably formed portion at the top of tank 14. A suction tube 22 leads from the stopper like valve casing 2t downwardly to near the bottom of the tank. The flow of the supply water out of the goose neck 23 creates such suction in tubes 19 and 22 as to cause a discharge of the contents of tank 14 into the flush tank along with the entering water. These contents may be of a cleansing, deodorizing, perfuming or disinfecting nature.

While the invention is not limited to the use of any particular material I have found that a highly practicable and economical assembly may be had by making the tube 14, funnel and tubes 17, 1'9 and 22 of a relatively stiff plastic material such as polyethylene. These are made up into a light Weight, non-corrosive unit which the housewife can readily apply without the aid of a plumber and to facilitate such action by the housewife integral plastic bands 25, carried by the tank are made of such stiflness as to have snap engagement over the tubes 5 and 6. These bands may be made of separate units if desired or may be aflixed to the tank or be made integral therewith.

The entry of a separate stream of liquid from tube 19 into the stream of water from the goose neck tends to decrease the noise of the discharge. To further aid in decreasing the noise of the discharge I may, if desired, apply a small plastic and very flexible open bottom baglike element 26 to the end of the goose neck.

Any of the deodorizing, cleaning, disinfecting or perfuming materials discharged into the flush tank ultimately pass to the toilet bowl where they perform their useful functions and the cleaning and deodorizing effects are also carried out in the sewer line.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that my invention yields an automatic discharge apparatus involving no pistons or other movable parts or valves. Upon the contrary, apart from the control valve 21 which merely meters the rate of flow from tank 14 my device operates wholly from the suction or vacuum created by disposing the end of tube 19 in the described relation in the path of flow of the water entering the flush tank.

It is to be understood that the invention includes within its purview whatever changes fairly come within either the terms or the spirit of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an attachment for use in conventional flush tanks of the type in which the water supply assembly comprises a pair of spaced vertical tubes one of which is an inlet tube and the other of which is an outlet tube, a tank for the reception of a liquid cleansing agent, a flexible tube having a goose neck terminal upper end and having its lower end attached to the lower end of the said water supply outlet tube, suction line connections extending from a point near the lower end of the interior of said tank to and entering and terminating in the goose neck terminal and being of such external diameter with respect to the internal diameter of the goose neck extension that the flow of supply water through said flexible tube creates such suction in the suction line as to draw material from the tank and discharge it into the water flowing from the goose neck extension, and means for holding the tank upon the water supply assembly.

2. A structure as recited in claim 1 wherein the means for holding the tank upon the water supply assembly comprises flexible friction clasp portions carried by the tank of a nature to snap into engagement with the pair of spaced vertical tubes of the water supply assembly.

3. A structure as recited in claim 2 wherein the suction line connections include a shut off valve.

4. A structure as recited in claim 2 wherein the suction line includes a shut ofl metering valve at the top of said tank.

5. As an article of manufacture a cleansing and deodorizing chemical dispensing assembly adapted to be frictionally held in place upon the upstanding water inlet supply tubes of a conventional flush tank, which assembly consists of a plurality of related non-corrosive plastic elements comprising a vertically disposed chemical receiving tank, a stopper like element inserted in an opening in the top of said tank and carrying a metering valve casing and valve, a tube extending from the stopper like element to a point near the bottom of said tank, an elongated flexible tube which extends upwardly alongside said tank and terminates in a goose neck terminal end, a suction tube extending from the metering valve casing which enters and terminates in the goose neck extension, the said flexible tube having its lower end formed for slip joint connection with the outlet portion of the water supply tubes of a flush tank and friction clamps which engage the inlet supply tubes and hold the plastic assemblage upon said supply tubes.

6. A structure as recited in claim 5 wherein the said tank carries an upwardly facing funnel in its top through which the tank may be filled when the cover of the flush tank is removed.

7. In an attachment for use in conventional flush tanks of the type in which the water supply assembly comprises an inlet tube and an outlet tube from which outlet tube water is discharged during the refill period of the flush tank after a flushing operation, a receptacle for a supply of a liquid cleansing or disinfecting agent, means for holding said receptacle in fixed position with relation to said outlet tube, and within the flush tank, said receptacle having an opening in its top, a flexible tube attached to the discharge end of the water supply outlet tube, which flexible tube is disposed within the flush tank and has an open end through which the water supply is discharged into the tank, a closure member seated in the opening at top of the receptacle and having a suction tube extending downwardly therefrom to near the bottom of said receptacle, and a discharge tube for the liquid cleansing agent leading from the closure member and suction tube to and into the flexible tube, the discharge tube being smaller than the interior diameter of the flexible tube to a degree to cause the flow of the supply water past the said discharge tube to set up an ejector action to draw a supply of the cleansing agent from the receptacle and discharge it into the tank along with the refill water.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 525,450 Dolbeare et a1 Sept. 4, 1894 1,950,680 Johns Mar. 13, 1934 2,921,319 Kivela Jan. 19, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 18,671 Great Britain Oct. 2, 1894 

